Top of page
Posted by: Mark Hartsell
Judy Garland insisted that the original gloomy lyrics of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" be rewritten to a warm, wistful tone in what is now a holiday standard. Garland debuted the song in the 1944 musical, "Meet Me in St. Louis."
Posted in: Christmas, Music, Performing Arts
Posted by: Wendi Maloney
Lin-Manuel Miranda and his production team researched Jonathan Larson's papers at the Library for the new musical, "tick...tick...Boom!" Here's how they did it.
Posted in: Film, Music, Performing Arts, Theater
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Mark Eden Horowitz, a senior music specialist in the Music Division, recounts his long friendship with Stephen Sondheim and how the maestro's papers will come to the Library.
Posted in: Library Work and Employees, Music, Performing Arts, Theater
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Billy Strayhorn was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and lyricist, most often working for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He wrote "Take the 'A' Train," "Lush Life," "Chelsea Bridge," "Day Dream" and dozens of other standards. His papers are collected at the Library of Congress.
Posted in: African American History, Music, Performing Arts
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Hazel Scott was the gorgeous face of jazz at the mid-century; the most glamorous, well-known Black woman in America, making more than $100,000 per year, draped in custom-designed jewelry and furs. Her remarkable career is preserved in the Library's Music Division.
Posted in: African American History, Music, Performing Arts
Posted by: Neely Tucker
During Hispanic Heritage Month, we pause to appreciate the impact of Selena, the superstar Tejano singer. Her breakthrough 1990 album, “Ven Conmigo,” was added to the Library's National Recording Registry in 2019.
Posted in: Hispanic American History, Hispanic and Latino, Music, National Recording Registry
Posted by: Neely Tucker
George Yu is an award-winning luthier based in Louisville, Kentucky, who models his handcrafted violins on rare Italian instruments, including a 1654 Amati violin at the Library.
Posted in: Asian American, LGBTQ, Music, Researcher Stories
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Glen Campbell's hit recording of "Wichita Lineman" is one of the inductees into the National Recording Registry. Here's how Campbell, songwriter Jimmy Webb and studio musicians put the song together.
Posted in: Music, National Recording Registry, Performing Arts
Posted by: Neely Tucker
Roman Totenberg's papers at the Library tell the story of his amazing 101-year life. Born in Poland in 1911, he was a child prodigy on the violin, playing street corners in Russia to help his family survive famine. He returned to Poland, became a star while a teenager, eventually fled the Holocaust and became one of the 20th century's greatest violinists, living the rest of his life in the United States. He was as renowned as a teacher as he was a performer, and his three children -- Nina, Amy, Jill -- each went on to prominent careers.
Posted in: Holocaust, Jewish American History, Music, World War II